


my name is Stellah Stardust and I approve this message

by crushing83



Series: The Adventures of Stellah Stardust [1]
Category: Bitten (TV), RuPaul's Drag Race RPF, Teen Wolf (TV), Women of the Otherworld - Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Alpha Nick Sorrentino, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, DemiPan Stiles Stilinksi, Demisexual Stiles Stilinski, Drag Queen Nick Sorrentino, Drag Queen Stiles Stilinski, Emissary Stiles Stilinski, F/M, Future Fic, Gen, I don't mean to offend anyone, I have no idea what I'm doing, I might add another story, If this isn't met with torches and pitchforks, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, McCall Pack, McCall Pack is no longer Stiles' pack, Mentions of various Drag Queens, Pronoun Switching, Spark Stiles Stilinski, Stiles is auditioning for RuPaul's Drag Race, a slow burn in a fast slide, and his attraction isn't defined by gender or sex, because time has passed, borrowing characters from Bitten, discussion of McCall Pack, he doesn't feel physical attraction unless he has an emotional connection first, no more bromance between Stiles and Scott, not really religiously sticking to the Bitten or Otherworld canon, seriously, something happened between Stiles and Scott, things have happened, vague discussion of character death, vague discussion of past events
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2020-02-28 12:57:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18756886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crushing83/pseuds/crushing83
Summary: Stiles hasn't been back to Beacon Hills inyears, but he doesn't regret turning his back on what was left of his life there and rebuilding from the ruin and ashes. He learned how to process his grief, he's found comfort in his skin and in his identity, and he feels like he's growing as a person. He likes his jobs---tutor by day, drag queen by night, and emissary in-between---and he likes his place in the Sorrentino Pack. He might pine for Derek, whenever he comes to visit, but he's used to that and values their friendship---the only one he's kept since moving to San Francisco for good and swearing new allegiances. When Nick hears thatDrag Raceis likely to be rebooted, he urges Stiles to audition. So, between balancing his jobs, his changing relationship with Derek, and everything else, Stiles tries to put together a video to succinctly show and tell why he should be America's Next Drag Superstar.





	my name is Stellah Stardust and I approve this message

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea what I'm doing here. I was recently introduced to RPDR, and it has taken over my brain. I am in no way an expert on the art of drag, or on the individuals I've mentioned when bringing this world into the Teen Wolf world. If I've made awful or hurtful mistakes, a) they weren't meant to be hurtful or offensive or wrong, and b) please (politely, constructively) tell me how I can correct them in this or in the future. 
> 
> And, yes, I've borrowed (and adjusted) a character from _Bitten._ Any time I tried to picture an alpha who was comfy in his bi or pan skin, and who might be comfortable in drag… for some reason, Nick Sorrentino kept popping into my head. So, I pulled him from his Bear Valley pack, gave him a pack of his own, and stuck him in my story. 
> 
> My rough notes have started to include more stories, but I don't know if I'll get around to writing them any time soon. I really need to get back to some other projects…
> 
> (Oh! And the song featured in the middle is "Take Me There" by Adore Delano.)

_"Hey, Ru Crew. My name is Stellah Stardust and I'm a San Francisco girl," Stiles said as he waved from his perch on his vanity stool. He waved his hands around, gesturing to the counter space behind him. "And this is where I spend a lot of my time, playing with new looks and products."_

_He snorted, and then rolled his eyes. A speck of glitter had been attempting to lodge itself in his eyeball since he started working on the introduction to his audition video and moving his eyeballs like that did not help it move to a more comfortable location._

_"I'm ridiculous. Seriously? This is where I sit every day, between my day job and my night job, practicing so I don't look completely busted," he admitted. "You'd think, after twel---no, fifteen years of getting all dolled up, I'd have a handle on all of it, right? And in some ways, sure, yes, it is easier. But! I am a spaz. And I luuuurve playing with make-up. And sometimes… I can get a little carried away. Or lost. So, I practice to keep myself on track!"_

_Stiles pushed his blue-haired wig's curls out of his eyes. "Seriously. Such a spaz," he said, laughing at himself and the situation into which he'd willingly entered. "Drag both increases and decreases my spazziness. Without it, I wouldn't have an outlet or a safe place, though, so I will always be in love with this art form, no matter how nervous or flail-y I get."_

_With a small and almost coy smile, he tilted his head, still gazing into the camera. "I'd really like to show you my favourite places and tell you about my journey. I think what I love about drag and what I can do would make me a great contestant on the great Royal Reboot Extravaganza of Drag Race---as long as those reboots are stilettos."_

_As he finished speaking, he raised his legs as gracefully as he could, displaying the strappy stiletto sandals he'd put on his feet when dressing up as Stellah._

#####

Stiles looked up, over the face wipe he'd been scrubbing over his painted face, when he caught sight of a shadow in the dressing room mirror. Nick was leaning in the doorway, dressed in one of his fancy suits. He nodded in greeting to some of the other performers, because even though he owned the club, he was a performer, too, and they all shared that camaraderie; but, his focus was on the small digital video camera in his hand and not on the people in front of him.

After crossing his eyes in the mirror, Stiles snorted and returned to working on cleaning the makeup from his skin. Nick had been recording him rehearsing, preparing, performing… and he was adding his clean-up routine to the list, too, it seemed. 

"Hey, Mama Stardust," Stiles called out. "You want new moisturizing tips, keep your skin from showing your age?" 

Nick grinned at Stiles' reflection before speaking. "Yeah, this is how my drag daughter speaks to me. Such respect for her elders," he said, voice full of laughter. 

"You were warned about my snarktastic mouth, you saw it in person, and you still decided to take me in," Stiles said. 

"Never a dull moment with you, Stellah," Nick said. He caught Stiles' bright smile in response and then he turned off the camera. As he pocketed it, he asked, "You have time after you're all cleaned up, or do you need to get home?" 

"Nah, no day job tomorrow. I hit two bonuses this week so I'm taking the day off," he said. "Want me to join you in your office?" 

"Sure," Nick said. "Cora's here, too. She's going to ask you if you want to come over for dinner tomorrow. No pressure either way." 

Stiles snorted. No pressure? Clearly Nick wasn't talking about the same Cora that Stiles knew. Of course, he suspected their strange mateship---although, really, as strange as it was, he'd never seen a more perfect pairing than Nick Sorrentino and Cora Hale---coloured Nick's impression of her and her friendship with Stiles. 

"Is Cora cooking?" Stiles asked. 

His question pulled a laugh out of Nick. "Yeah, right," he said. "I might have a strong stomach, but it has its limits. We're ordering Indian. Spicy food and sweet wine."

As his stomach rumbled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten since he arrived at the club, he nodded. He knew he'd be there; the promise of delicious food and drink made it easier to yield to Cora's future demand. The company---the pack's alpha and his mate---wouldn't be bad. They were a few of the only people with whom he could completely be himself; they were werewolves, they knew about his history in Beacon Hills, they knew he was a spark, and they knew that Stiles had been Little Red Riding before becoming Stellah Stardust. Being around them meant he wasn't hiding an aspect of his life and he wouldn't be expected to behave a certain way. If he were with other members of the pack, too, he would have to show Nick more deference, but when it was the three of them, he didn't have to think about politics and diplomacy because Nick never asked him for that when they were alone. 

"Make sure you eat tonight, Stellah," Nick added. He probably heard Stiles' stomach rumble; in a room with humans, though, he wouldn't say anything about hearing quiet bodily functions in a room of boisterous drag performers. "No going home and passing out." 

Stiles snorted before he raised his gaze to Nick's in the mirror. "I have leftovers in the fridge." 

"Pick up something better than microwaved noodles," Nick instructed. "You're losing weight again." 

"You're not the boss of me," Stiles said as he pushed himself up out of his chair and moved towards the changing screen. 

Layla Harder---or Lee, since he was back in his basketball shorts and hoodie---had just vacated the more private space and Stiles was as desperate to get out of his corset and tights as he was to untuck. He pulled off his hair cap and tossed it at Nick. Of course, with his reflexes, Nick caught the stretchy fabric with one hand before it hit him in the face. 

"Stellah's got big brass balls, talkin' to her Mama _and_ her boss like that," one of the other drag queens teased. 

"In about thirty seconds, yeah, I will," Stiles shot back before he disappeared behind the screen. 

It didn't take long to strip out of his layers of lace and leather. As soon as he removed his underwear, gaffe, and tape, he wriggled and bit back a groan. He had a hard time choosing which felt better: freeing his boy bits or taking off his high heels. Freedom, in both forms, was delicious! 

When he came out from behind the screen, wearing a ratty pair of jeans and one of his oldest Berkeley t-shirts, he put his performance clothes in his duffel bag. He'd already put his boots and jewelry in there; he would add his wig before he left the room. As he moved, gathering the last of his things, he noticed Nick was filming him again. 

"Voyeuristic much?" Stiles asked. 

"You know me," Nick replied, smirking at him over the camera. "I'm into lots of different things." 

"Ugh, creeper," Stiles muttered. He would've continued on, about werewolves and their sneaky spy games, but he knew better than to say that in mixed company. Instead, he straightened, packed bag in one hand and his makeup kit in the other, and smiled. "Ready?" 

Nick nodded. He gestured for Stiles to exit the room, so Stiles slipped past him. They walked together, from the dressing room through the behind-the-scenes area and up the stairs that would take them to Nick's luxurious office with a view of the stage. 

Because he wasn't about to barge into the alpha's office, Stiles waited outside the door. Nick moved past him and opened it; once he was through, he gestured again and Stiles followed him inside. He put his gear down on the closest chair and looked around until he saw Cora. 

"Finally!" Cora exclaimed. 

Stiles snorted and as she wrapped him up in a hug. "It takes me a few minutes to get undragged, remember?" he said, before tucking his face into her shoulder. "Good to see you, Cora."

It was good to see her. It wasn't always, but years in San Francisco together had made it so they weren't remembering Beacon Hills and all the trauma associated with that place every single time they interacted. They had their own bond and shared experiences that were free of pain. She was a part of his family. 

"I watched you tonight," Cora murmured. "I was with some friends from work." 

"Liked the show?" Stiles asked. 

He'd started in the improv group, back when he first started under Nikki Stardust's wing; even though he had a leading role in an act that ran three nights a week, along with participating in other shows, as needed, he recently started emceeing the comedy night. It held a soft spot in his heart and he worried about his position within it. 

"You're great," Cora confirmed. She eased back enough so she could kiss his cheek. "And you have better legs than me, it is not fair!" 

"And a better sense of humour," Stiles joked. 

She punched his shoulder. 

"Yep. You're still your brother's sister," Stiles muttered. 

Cora smiled sweetly at him. 

She slipped out of his arms and moved towards Nick. They shared a quick kiss---quick, for them, meaning it lasted a minute---so Stiles meandered around the room. The first time he stared at them, enjoying the floor show because it was happening right in front of him and he had eyes that worked, they asked him if he'd like to join them. He had no desire to be one the people they occasionally shared; casual flings weren't his thing. So, to avoid hearing that offer again, Stiles tried to focus his attention on anything but the alpha and his mate locking lips---and tongues. 

Nick cleared his throat. Stiles turned around and smiled at them. 

"So… what's up?" Stiles asked. 

"Dinner, tomorrow night," Cora said. 

"Uh, yeah, sure," he agreed. "What time and do you need me to bring anything?" 

"Six. And nothing but your cute butt. Wear anything you like," she replied. "It's just family. We won't care." 

The word "family" would probably always make a lump of emotion form in his throat. He was the last Stilinski from Beacon County, and for a long time he thought that meant he'd be alone; but, Derek had stuck with him as much as could, even though he could have gotten into trouble with the pack if Scott had discovered their still-strong connection. In San Francisco, Nick all but adopted Stiles after his Nikki alter ego declared Stellah her drag daughter and Cora welcomed him into her new pack and life at the same time. He had a family again, and he was grateful for that place to belong. 

He nodded. "All right. I'll be there." 

"Good!" Cora chirped. She turned to Nick. "Now, you." 

Nick grinned and held up the camera. "We have a plan for you."

"Dude, I already have my website and Patreon." 

"No, not another online thing," Nick said. He was still grinning and it was making Stiles nervous. "I heard some exciting news. It's not public yet---but it will be in a couple months." 

"That building you want is finally going up for sale?" Stiles asked, smiling. "That's huge!" 

"No, it's better than that," Nick said. "Or, more fun than that, anyway." 

Stiles' smile melted. "Uh… but, real estate is fun. To you." 

"This will be fun for you, specifically, instead." 

"I'm missing something," Stiles said. 

Cora sighed loudly and rolled her eyes. "Seriously! Nick heard from some of the other _more experienced_ queens that your forever-reigning monarch is considering hosting an anniversary competition. Because it's been ten years since the final season." 

Stiles tilted his head. He understood some of that, and he was pretty sure he knew what it meant, but… 

…what did that have to do with him? 

"That's why you're filming me?" Stiles asked. "An audition video?"

"I want yours to be first and best," Nick said. "I've been getting footage together---"

"No, Nick," Stiles protested. "I've heard stories. I am not going surrender my website---"

"It's not yours, remember? Technically, you are a correspondent on _my_ website, and you've been careful," Nick interjected. "You rarely show your face, you use other performers for your tutorials. If I can't get you a deal where you keep that side job, you put it on hold for the year and then you come back to it." 

"And what about all the producers baiting---" 

"You handle negotiations between werewolves and sometimes between werewolves and hunters, as my emissary," Nick said, interrupting Stiles again. "You can't handle a couple of crafty normals?" 

"What about my pack?" Stiles asked. "Six weeks without contact…" 

"Will be hard," Cora agreed. "But, we'll load you up with shirts or scarves that smell like us, if you want, and really… like no one has ever snuck an extra phone in their luggage? Ever?" 

"I… I guess. But… why?" 

"Get your face out there, get some publicity," Nick replied. "Drag's hitting another wave of popularity. And, Stiles, you are meant for more than a few nights a week at my club and subbing in small roles at other venues. You are great. You're a star. I want more for you." 

Stiles frowned. "What if this brings negative attention to the pack?" 

"I've talked with some of the elders," Cora said. "They're confident the alpha pair and emissary can handle it if there's trouble later." 

"If anything, a little extra attention from the public will probably keep hunters from risking attacking the club," Nick added.

Stiles snorted. He wasn't sure about that. Some hunters didn't care about collateral damage, but they weren't the hunters they encountered on a regular basis. At least once every two or three months, someone with wolfsbane stashed on their person walked into one of Nick's businesses and tried to start trouble. They were usually deterred by the presence of unknowing humans, though. The apocalypse-level hunters would burn a business to the ground if they thought Nick was inside; they only dealt with those hunters once every few years, which made that tension easier to bear. 

"Just think about it, okay?" Nick asked. 

Stiles nodded. Then, he looked at Cora. "I would've thought you'd be against this," he said. 

She smirked. "I think it will be good for you," she said. "There could be travel and prizes---which could mean touring and sponsors if you play your cards right." 

"And I'm going to make sure you play your cards right," Nick said. Before Stiles could protest, he continued talking. "I know, I know. You're wicked smart. But, sometimes, you sacrifice what's best for you for the good of the pack. If you decide to commit to this, I'm not letting you sabotage yourself." 

Stiles knew his cheeks were flushed. He could feel the heat in the skin of his cheeks. He always thought Drag Race was more trouble than it was worth, but he couldn't deny that it might be interesting to try to expand his brand. He liked his website, churning out content and selling the few products he had in his arsenal; he liked working with people who came to San Francisco on their own tours. He liked his life! Despite that, he couldn't deny that he wondered what it would be like if he had _more_ in his catalogue of work. 

"We'll do the video," Stiles said. "And I'll do the editing. If it sucks---" 

"You don't have to submit it," Nick promised. 

"Okay," Stiles agreed. 

Nick smiled. "I'll put the footage in your Dropbox folder."

"Give me everything, not just the shots you think are best," Stiles demanded. 

"Deal," Nick said, nodding. He walked over to his desk and picked up a camera that was exactly like the one he was already holding. When he went to Stiles, he put the camera in his hand. "This one's for you. Think about what you want to say. If you want me to come over and film you in your closet, just let me know." 

"Will you be there Saturday?" 

Nick's smile grew. "To record the rehearsal and your show." 

Stiles exhaled slowly. He couldn't believe he was getting sucked into making an audition video, to vie for the _privilege_ of competing with a dozen other drag queens. 

He looked down at the camera Nick put in his hand. "Damn it. Both of you suck." 

"Yeah, we do---and we probably will tonight, too," Nick purred, before returning to Cora's side and capturing her lips in a kiss. 

Stiles groaned and marched over to his bag and case. He jammed the camera into his duffel bag, wedging it between his boots and his clothes and trying not to disturb his wig in the process. When he closed the bag, he took both packages into his hands. 

"I'm leaving now, jerks," he announced. "I'll see you tomorrow---and you better both be dressed when I get there." 

Cora laughed into Nick's mouth and Nick waved distractedly behind him. 

Stiles rolled his eyes and stomped out of the office.

#####

_"So, this is my family," Stiles said as he gestured at the pictures on his bookshelf. He stopped in front of a few pictures: of Claudia, John, and Stiles; of John and Stiles; and of Mama Bear (or John, dressed up in drag) and Little Red Riding. "These are my parents. Mom is in my thoughts every day. She used to let me walk around in her pumps and play with her makeup. She never said I shouldn't. I didn't know what I was doing, it just looked fun---and she encouraged it._

_"She died when I was eight. And after that, for fourteen years, it was me and my Dad," Stiles continued. "He's a great dad. He was surprised when I told him I like to dress up in drag, but he really came through when I needed him. He came to my first ever lip syncing contests at Jungle. He even let me dress him up once. He wouldn't leave the house, but he was a good sport and let me take this picture."_

_Stiles blinked back tears as he looked at those photographs. He missed John so much; in the first few years, he could barely breathe past the pain. Derek had told him he was a human but he still lost his pack as well as his parent, and the loss was more profound because of that. Derek's understanding of that pain, and his persistence, combined with the presence of Nick and Cora, had been the only thing that helped him move past his grief. It was still there, a steady, weighted pain inside his rib cage, but he could find joy in his life and in the world again. Healing and progress had been happening._

_"I miss him so much," Stiles admitted. He smiled a bit, making himself look at the camera for a moment before turning back to the photos. "I lost more than Dad the day he was killed in the line of duty," he said, thinking briefly of the McCall pack._

_He gave himself a shake and smiled at the camera again. "But! I have my drag mom, Nikki Stardust," he said. "She took me under her wing and taught me how to turn my persona into more than a nerdy girl who likes to lip sync to unusual songs."_

_Stiles held up a photo of him as Stellah with Nick as Nikki. They were dressed up, Nikki more polished and high couture while Stellah was wearing one of her cosplay outfits, and they were both smiling._

_"Here's Drag Mama and Drag Baby," he said. He pulled another picture off of the shelf and smiled at the image of himself wedged between Nick and Cora in a restaurant booth. "And here I am with Nick when he's not Nikki. And his partner. They're part of my family now. Nick taught me that drag doesn't have to define my identity---that I can like dressing up as a lady, but it doesn't mean I have to be oriented any particular way… that love and attraction are fluid, y'know?"_

_He replaced the photos on the shelf and gestured to one of him with Derek. They were sleeping on Nick's couch, after nodding off in the middle of one of Cora's movie marathons. Stiles' head was resting on Derek's shoulder; Derek's hand was cupped around the back of Stiles' head._

_"This is my… person. And Cora's brother, so he's Nick's brother-in-law, too," Stiles said. "He's the only person from my life with Dad, who made an effort, after Dad. He's good people and I'd be lost without him in my life._

_"It's all pretty gross, right? How stupidly attractive my made family is?" Stiles asked the camera. "They make me feel like I have to keep sharpening my sense of humour, just so I can try to hold my own with them."_

_"These are the people I have in my corner," Stiles said. He took a step away from the shelf and towards the camera. "And now, how about I show you some B-roll of my performances before I take you to my_ werk _room?"_

#####

Before he could even reach out for the doorbell, the door opened. Stiles wanted to tease Nick or Cora about their freakish werewolf senses, but Derek was standing in front of him and a hug seemed much more appropriate.

Derek caught him, without hesitation, and returned the embrace. 

_God_ , he gave good hugs!

"You didn't tell me you were coming to town," Stiles murmured. He gave Derek an extra squeeze and stayed close while Derek sniffed his neck and shoulder, even when they both shivered in response. When he slid back onto his heels, he grinned. "Hi!" 

Derek smiled the small smile Stiles liked seeing on him the most. "I just… wanted to come visit," he said. "I like it here." 

Stiles suspected there was more to his reasoning than that, but he would need a drink---or five---before they talked about Beacon Hills. 

"C'mon in," Derek urged. "Nick's just opening the wine. And the food should be here soon." 

"I timed it perfectly then," he said. 

He entered Nick's house. Nick had a condo closer to his businesses, but he loved his house. It was surrounded by the territory the pack claimed as theirs and used for running on full moon nights. Large cities were difficult to claim, because populations could be transitory; packs based in densely populated areas tended to leave the downtown region as neutral territory and then they divided up surrounding or surrounded suburban and wooded regions. Beacon Hills was different---for several reasons---but Stiles liked knowing that he could travel through most of the city without crossing into anyone else's zone and that he had a place where he could go to ensure his safety. 

He lived close to the club, in a building that he was pretty sure Nick owned (although never admitted to owning), but he spent a lot of time at the house to bond with the pack. 

"How are you?" Derek asked. 

"Y'know, the usual," Stiles replied. He smiled at Derek. "Happy to see you, though." 

"Nick said you're on stage tomorrow night?" he asked. 

"Yeah… you wanna come?" 

"I think Cora's planning on us going," Derek said. "And then breakfast at that diner we went to last time." 

Stiles laughed. The last time Derek had joined him and the other queens for an early breakfast after the club closed, he'd been pawed and mauled by a lot of ladies with nails longer and sharper than his werewolfish claws. He was a handsome man with manners (when he remembered to use them) and great bone structure and a killer body. They'd drooled over him as soon as he walked into the diner with Nikki and Stellah. 

"She promised to protect me this time," Derek added. 

At that, any laughter that may have been fading suddenly turned into a loud glee-filled cackle. Stiles stumbled; Derek steadied him with a hand on his back. 

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," Derek muttered. "You weren't the one trying to avoid Cinnamon's and Layla's wandering hands. I found phone numbers shoved in all my pockets. And places where there were no pockets." 

"Some people would kill for that bone structure, baby," Stiles said, laughter still in his voice as they crossed the living room. "You have pretty people problems and I am having a hard time mustering up sympathy." 

In truth, he had conflicted feelings about Derek's level of attractiveness. He hated that people made Derek uncomfortable. He liked seeing Derek pushed out of his isolated, creature-of-the-night comfort zone. He liked being seen with Derek---even if the ladies were sure they could steal him away. He hated that Derek was so far out of Stiles' league. He hated that other people had no idea how sweet and kind and smart Derek could be.

He---

Yeah, he had some feelings on the matter and those feelings had to stay buried so that keen werewolf senses didn't pick up on anything they shouldn't smell---like anxiety, or anything else. 

"Yes, yes, my brother's a catch," Cora teased, meeting them in the kitchen. 

"They don't even know the half of it," Nick added. He was sitting at the kitchen island, a glass of red wine in his hand. "They see his handsome face and lickable body and think that's all there is---" 

"Ohmigod," Cora said as soon as she slapped a hand over Nick's mouth. "What have I told you about Derek?" 

Nick's muffled response sounded something like "Off limits," but Stiles couldn't be sure. He looked at Derek, catching the end of his eye roll, and offered a little "What can you do?" shrug in response. 

"As fun as it can be to watch you two be… you, I demand wine," Stiles said. "And I'm a guest, so… feed me wine." 

"Funny how you're only a guest when it's convenient for you," Cora commented. 

She removed her hand, kissed Nick's cheek, and poured Stiles and Derek each a glass of wine. 

"Cheers, guys," Nick said. He raised his glass. "To family and to pack---" 

"Nick---" 

"You're pack," Nick said, cutting off Derek's protest. "It's not official---but in all the ways that count, you're pack. And it will be official one day, too." 

They clinked glasses. Stiles drained his in one swallow and reached for the bottle. "It will? Really?" he asked, as he poured more wine into his too-empty glass. "When?" 

"Soon, I hope," Derek said. "It's… I don't want to leave Beacon Hills unprotected. Mom said---" 

"Mom isn't here," Cora interrupted. "Mom wouldn't want you to stick around and be---"

"Cora," Derek interrupted. "Not now." 

She rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine. But we're all going to have to talk about it at some point," she stipulated. 

Nick nodded. "Yeah. Of course. But, in the meantime, let's talk about Stiles' audition video," he suggested. 

"Audition video?" Derek echoed. 

Stiles rolled his eyes when Nick grinned. "Yeah, yeah. Drag Race is apparently coming back this year, because it's been ten years since the last competition aired," Stiles explained. He pointed at Nick and Cora. "These two talked me into making a video. Like I stand a chance." 

"You do," Nick insisted. "Raja---" 

"Oh god, you talked to Raja about me?" Stiles groaned. 

That was embarrassing. Stiles would probably always have a big ol' brain crush on Raja. In front of or behind the camera, Raja had an aesthetic that Stiles wished he could emulate. He practically lived for the gallery shows and work posted online; haute couture was too polished for Stiles, but he could drool over the way Raja combined fine art with high fashion to tell a story. 

"Who's Raja?" 

"Just this genius of makeup and fashion, who is leagues away from anything I could ever do," Stiles muttered. 

"We went to their traveling gallery show last year, remember?" Cora asked. "The fantasy creatures?" 

Derek nodded. "Oh yeah. I remember the unicorn horn." 

Cora chuckled. "But not the models' lean bodies in weird and artistic poses, or the story of the fantasy warrior hunters moving through them looking for their prey?" 

"I had other things on my mind that weekend," Derek admitted. "I remember I liked the show." 

"Anywaaaay," Nick drawled. "Raja, Manila, and I---" 

"Oh, god, Manila, too?" Stiles groaned. He covered his face with his free hand. He admired both of those artists so much; the idea that Nick had been discussing him with them was so embarrassing. He nearly threw up when Blair and Adore had followed him on Instagram, but had gotten used to their stardom because he'd performed with them a couple times as a member of the chorus in their separate shows; he still fought passing out any time Raja and Manila showed up in town, at Nick's club or condo, no matter how many times they visited. "Whyyy, Nick?" 

"Because I'm the mama and I'm getting ready to push you out of my pond, little duckling," Nick teased. "We all think you're ready for more, and this could be the way to get that---or at least get on the path towards it. They saw a video that I just happened to have on my phone of your performance with Blair, when she was in town, and they lurved it." 

"You're not worried about the attention more could bring the pack?" Derek asked. 

Nick shook his head. "Prepared, yes, but not worried. It'll be fine. Stiles has stuck his neck out for us, it's time we return the favour," he said. 

"Good," Derek replied. 

Stiles lowered his hand and looked at Derek. "I thought you'd be on my side!" 

"I am," he said. "You're worth more than proofreading essays by day and performing locally by night. You're good, Stiles. I might not want to be in the public eye, myself, but when you're on stage, you… shine. I want you to do more of what's important to you." 

He wasn't sure what to say in response to that. Derek said more than ten words without being prompted to do so. Derek complimented him. Derek was supporting him---and siding with Nick's and Cora's take on the situation. 

"You've shocked him into silence, Der," Cora teased. 

Instead of saying anything, Stiles set down his wine and moved to Derek's side to give him a hug. He knew Derek wasn't a big hugger---two per visit was his usual maximum---but Stiles knew anything he could say would make them both uncomfortable. 

Derek wrapped his arm around Stiles' shoulders. "You okay?" he asked. 

"Yeah. You're just being… a big, sweet marshmallow, so I want to return the favour," Stiles explained. 

The doorbell rang. Cora moved around them and out of the room. Nick, surprisingly, remained silent until she returned and Stiles separated from Derek. 

"So, when is the video due?" Derek asked. 

"Nick said they'll make the announcement for entries in a month or two," Stiles said. 

"So you'll be one of the first received," Derek said, nodding. "Smart." 

"Assuming it's not awful." 

Derek, Cora, and Nick all spoke in almost perfect unison: "It won't be."

Stiles snorted and smiled. He still wasn't sure about his abilities, but the fact that he had strong (like, werewolf strong) support behind him did make him feel better about the whole situation.

###

From his hiding place, backstage, Stiles watched as Nikki Stardust commanded applause for his musical theatre troupe. They'd been doing a production that told a drama- and comedy-packed story through songs performed by some of the most popular local drag queens; every Saturday was sold out, so far, and the Sunday and alternate Friday shows did almost as well.

He knew Cora was behind him, holding one of Nick's ridiculous cameras, and he chose to ignore her in favour of waiting for his cue. Dominique de Poisson was waiting on the other side of the stage for her cue; she would perform her encore, and then Stellah Stardust would be called out for her last performance of the night. 

Stiles cheered when Dom stepped out onstage. Her dress clung to her curves---both natural and padded---and her hair trailed over her shoulder and down her bare back. She was wearing a breastplate toned to match her olive complexion, and it was shimmering as much as her own skin was. In her silver-scaled booty shorts, her tight tuck was obvious. She looked so female and so gorgeous, that Stiles might have spent a moment or two drooling over her if he were 'normal' and if he weren't more impressed with her skills than her appearance---and if he didn't have Derek in the audience that night. 

It was much easier to ignore his feelings for Derek when he wasn't in San Francisco or on his phone screen in a FaceTime call. 

Just knowing Derek was out there, watching him, had hyped his nerves to a fifteen instead of their usual eleven. 

Derek had been the most accepting out of the McCall pack. Danny had been supportive, too, but he'd broken ties with them long before… everything that had happened. When Scott found out what Stiles liked to do in his spare time, he'd been radio silent for a few days while he worked that information into his idea of who Stiles was as a person. He'd come back, but his hesitation and later lack of interest had hurt Stiles. 

Lydia had tried to insinuate herself as Little Red Riding's stylist; Stiles and Coco, his first mentor, had been forced to tell her that her ideas of fashion didn't match who Stiles' drag persona was at the time. Malia had assumed it was all just an extension of him---like it was his version of shifting into a wereanimal---but she'd struggled to understand why he didn't see himself as a woman all the time. Liam and Mason assumed dressing in drag meant Stiles was gay, and no matter how many times Stiles tried to explain that he was somewhere between pansexual and demisexual they insisted his homosexuality wasn't a problem. 

Derek, though, had been the best support. He never blinked. He first asked how to refer to Stiles---if he preferred a specific pronoun all the time, or if it depended on how he was dressed---and then he asked if he could help. He came to the house when Stiles had a new outfit to test. When Stiles was attempting to perform, he joined John at some of the shows and contests at Jungle. He offered suggestions and advice and words of support when Stiles needed them; he insinuated himself into that area of his life, instead of ignoring it or trying to control it. 

He'd been a complete surprise, but Stiles was grateful for him. They'd gotten closer in those early years; when disaster struck, he'd been as anguished (or more, because of the circumstances into which he'd been forced) as Stiles had been. Derek was the only one he couldn't abandon, even though Derek was the only member of the pack who told Stiles he'd understand if Stiles never wanted to see him again. 

"You know, you should use Derek as your audience crush tonight," Cora said, shaking him from his darker thoughts. 

"Huh?" 

Stiles turned around and looked at her. 

She grinned at him from over the handheld camera. "Y'know, when you usually pick someone in the crowd to tease," she explained. She was close enough that she didn't have to shout and he didn't have to strain to hear her. "You should pick Derek." 

"Why? Why would you say that?" Stiles asked. 

Cora lowered the camera so it was no longer trained on him but on the floor. She leaned in, her hand landing on his bare shoulder. 

"Because I'd rather smell happy stress than sad stress," she said. "And you thinking about sitting in his lap as you lip sync is better stress than whatever you were thinking about before." 

"You're evil, you know that?" 

Cora grinned. "I know!" 

Stiles turned away from her and back to the stage, in time to see Dom singing her song. It was one of Todrick Hall's more recent releases, and it never failed to rouse applause from the crowd. He smiled and leaned into the wall, losing himself in her performance. He wasn't worried about his; he'd been performing older Adore songs a lot lately, so he knew his routine, and he really liked watching his fellow performers as they did their best work. 

By the time Dom was off-stage and Nikki was calling out for Stellah to join him, Stiles was vibrating with nervous energy. He strutted out from his hiding place, arms raised and hands waving to the night's crowd. He could see Derek in the group, clapping and cheering with everyone; he gave into temptation a blew a cheeky kiss in Derek's direction, knowing that it would be difficult for anyone to realise he had a specific target. 

Nikki, clad in a slinky designer gown that highlighted her lithe body and constructed curves, offered Stellah her manicured hand. 

Stiles accepted the gesture, sliding his hand into Nikki's when he was close enough to make contact. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, my sweet baby girl is all grown up!" Nikki crowed into her microphone. "Give it up to---I mean, for---Stellah Stardust!" 

Stiles curtsied, pulling out the sides of his flouncy, tulle-packed skirt as he dipped; after one little dip, he rose and dipped lower to earn more cheers and catcalls from the crowd. 

Nikki helped Stiles straighten and then she leaned in and pretended to kiss Stiles' cheek. 

"You are amazing tonight," Nick whispered through Nikki's glitter-coated lips. "Peaches and some friends are upstairs. You up for some social time before we go back to the den?" 

Stiles nodded. Networking was just as important as any other part of his job; he liked a lot of the other drag performers in the city, no matter what aesthetic they represented, and he enjoyed learning from those he considered to be legends whenever he could. As much as he wanted to pack Stellah away for the night and go back to Nick's house with him, Cora, and Derek, he could postpone that for a little while. 

"All right," Nick murmured. "Knock 'im dead, baby." 

When Nikki turned her focus back to audience, she revved up the audience into cheering for Stellah to sing them an encore song. 

"Aww! You're all so sweet," Stellah purred into Nikki's microphone. "I have to go get my beauty sleep, but I think I can do a song for you." 

Nikki playfully tweaked Stiles' chin when the music started playing. She left before Stiles had to step up to the front of the stage to begin mouthing along with the lyrics. 

_Tonight, here I am, there you are_  
_This is the good life, looking up at the stars_  
_You know its our time, cause we're here and in love_  
_Tomorrow doesn't mean a thing_

Stiles moved to the beat, his hips swaying. When it was time to pretend to look up at the stars, he made sure he was positioned so that he was slightly angled. He stretched his arms above his head, arching his back slightly for effect, and then he started dancing his way across the stage. The steps were similar to some he'd learned for a drag production of _Cinderella_ , a few years ago, so he didn't need to think too hard as he moved. He made sure his hips swayed and bounced, the padding helping to accentuate the movements as well as giving him a more shapely figure. 

_So we're young and we got some dirty minds_  
_Ripped jeans with a bottle for the night_  
_We're the kids who would bring the world to life_  
_So we're dumb and we got some time to waste_  
_Got it all with a pocketful of change_  
_Tonight, gonna make our best mistake_

Before the chorus started, Stiles playfully pointed at a random man at the front of the crowd. Their group of friends cheered, begging Stellah to come closer, but Stiles knew that he wasn't going to stay that close to the stage when it was time to choose someone. He'd never singled out Derek from the crowd, for fear of ruining their friendship, but Cora had planted the idea in his head and he wondered what it would be like to tease Derek the way Stellah teased her audience. 

Would he like it and play along? Would he hate it and push Stellah away? 

_Take me there_  
_You know I really wanna go_  
_Take me there_  
_You'll never have to be alone_

After flashing the back and top of his thighs with a playful swish of his very short and puffy skirt, Stiles turned to the beefy security men standing at the front of the stage. They raised their hands, and Stiles slipped his down into them. As they rehearsed, Stiles jumped to descend to the floor and the men reached up to support him under his upper arms. They helped him land in a cutesy pose; Stellah rewarded each of her assistants with a cheek kiss as the spotlight landed on her. 

Stiles sashayed to the beat of the song. He spotted Derek at the table, with Cora and her camera sitting next to him, and he made his way towards them. If he lingered at other tables to tease other guests on his way to Derek, he earned cheers for his effort from the rest of the spectators. 

_Moonlight, it's a shot in the dark but it's a good time_  
_Yeah, we're making our mark_  
_And if it feels right, take a piece of my heart_  
_Tomorrow doesn't mean a thing_

He walked past Derek, his hand brushing over Derek's shoulder, and then he slipped behind him and let both of his hands slide down his chest. As he mouthed along with the song, he leaned in and over so he could press his signature sparkling kiss to Derek's cheek. 

Normally, his encore performance matched the character Stellah played through the production. That night was no exception; Stellah had been cast as the love-addicted vixen so Stiles had free rein to play as flirtatiously as he wanted to act. The fact that Derek was his target made it easier and harder at the same time. He tried to look at Derek like he was just another member of the audience, but he couldn't; his hands were on Derek, in a way that was flirty instead of friendly or comforting, and his mind was buzzing in all directions. 

Stiles strutted around to Derek's front and bent low to put his hands on Derek's knees. He hesitated until Derek offered him a nod, and then he parted Derek's legs with a gentle push of his hands. 

_So we're young and we got some dirty minds_  
_Ripped jeans with a bottle for the night_  
_We're the kids who would bring the world to life_  
_So we're dumb and we got some time to waste_  
_Got it all with a pocketful of change_  
_Tonight, gonna make our best mistake_

Stiles danced into Derek, using illusion to make them seem closer than they were. It was still intimate---Stiles had never done this with Derek before and he could see something intense brewing in Derek's eyes that matched his feelings---but it wasn't illicit. 

He rocked and rolled his body as suggestively as he dared, all the while mouthing along to the lyrics. He lifted his head to "sing" to the rest of the audience, for a moment; when he returned his attention to Derek, he gently scraped one of his bejeweled, blue nails up Derek's neck to end at the curve of his chin. 

Stiles couldn't be sure, but he thought he saw Derek's eyes glow for a fraction of a second. 

He went off-script before he left Derek to return to the stage. As he prepared to turn away, he kissed Derek's unmarked cheek. Derek had two glittery and red kisses on his face; Stiles would have grinned and laughed, at Derek and at his own moxy, if he weren't in character. 

_Take me there_  
_You know I really wanna go_  
_Take me there_  
_You'll never have to be alone_

_Take me there_  
_Take me there_  
_Take me there_  
_Take me there_

Back on stage, with help from his muscle men, Stiles flounced around to the pedestal that had been put there for Stellah when he'd been off in the crowd. He swayed and turned, all the while mouthing to the lyrics. As he moved, he brought his hands up to the front-facing ties on his cincher-type corset. 

He unwrapped himself from the garment, letting the sheer fabric on his chest slither from his bikini top. He'd had to practice that move for weeks before he figured out how to do it and how to adjust his garments to make it easier to perform without revealing his actual cincher and ruining his body shape illusions. The fabric fell all the way to the skirt, a shimmering top to his silky, layered skirt. 

_Woo-ooh-ooh_  
_Woo-ooh-ooh_  
_Woo-ooh-ooh_  
_Na-na-na-na_

Stiles dipped and spun, letting the audience appreciate how the fabric moved. He played with the flimsy material, pretending to reveal more of Stellah's body, and he delighted in the applause the move stirred up from the audience as he moved his hands into position for his next trick. 

_Woo-ooh-ooh_  
_Woo-ooh-ooh_  
_Woo-ooh-ooh_  
_Na-na-na-na_

__

With a simple pull to secret pockets on either side of his bikini top, glitter fell from his chest, sliding down his clothes and fluttering to the floor. 

_Take me there_  
_Take me there_  
_Take me there_  
_You know I really wanna go_  
_Take me there_  
_You'll never have to be alone_  
_Take me there_  
_Take me there_  
_Take me there_  
_Take me there_

Stiles' glitter was joined by foil confetti that was released from somewhere in the ceiling. He finished Stellah's encore performance with a few more dance moves, including a series of fast spins on the platform, and then he struck a pose one beat before the lights were temporarily extinguished.

###

By the time Stiles shook most of the glitter from his clothes, touched up his makeup, and made his way up to Nick's office, he was more than ready to go home. But, he'd promised to meet Nick and the others upstairs, so that was where he went.

Peaches Christ rarely performed anymore, opting to focus on writing and producing amazing works of art, but she was a well-known figure in San Francisco drag. Stiles met her shortly after becoming Nikki's Stellah, and he'd worked for her a few times in his career on stage. She was amazing; Stiles loved her body of work and picking her brain always resulted in advice that helped him in his own work. 

She was there with Bendelacreme and Jinkx Monsoon, frequent collaborators and brilliant artists in their own right. Nick had invited Raja, too, and Stiles thought he saw them with a few of their friends. The place was packed with so many beautiful people, both local and from away, and Stiles spent what felt like forever bouncing from one person to the next, usually flanked by his overprotective Nikki or one of the other performers of the night's show. He had no idea why so many of amazing artists were in town---it wasn't like there was a convention scheduled that week or the next---and he felt a little dazed in their collective presence. 

"Darling daughter, your man's arrived," Nikki teased. 

Blinking, Stiles looked up to see Derek and Cora enter the office. Derek's confident posture turned bashful when many of the people in the room teased both him and Stellah. 

"Lucky duck," someone purred. 

"Quack, quack," another someone behind Stiles commented. 

Stiles snorted. "Just… give me a minute, okay?" 

He was gone before anyone could excuse him. When he made it to Derek, Dom and Layla were approaching from both sides. Stiles did the only thing he could think would keep them from getting their claws into Derek's chest; he grabbed Derek's hand and pulled him back out of the office. 

When they were alone in the hallway, Derek seemed to relax. He kept holding onto Stiles' hand, keeping Stiles close, and the worry Stiles felt about overstepping any boundary between them faded away. 

"You were really great tonight," Derek murmured. 

"Not too much? At the end, I mean." 

He shook his head and gave Stiles his patented _are you an idiot?_ look. 

"Okay, okay, I just… had to ask, y'know?" Stiles said. "I mean, you've been… you are important to me." 

"You are important to me, too," Derek replied. "I… I've been… reluctant to express how important. Because you're here. And I'm…" 

"There," Stiles finished for him. "But, you won't always be."

Derek nodded. "That's the plan." 

"We'll have to talk about that," Stiles said. "I don't want you push you either way. I just want to understand." 

"Before I go back, yeah, we'll talk," Derek agreed. 

Stiles smiled. "Okay. Good. So, we're both… into seeing how things could progress, if we're in the same place." 

"Yes." 

"Are you opposed to another hug?" Stiles asked. 

Derek's eyes flashed in the dark. "You willing to take that chance?" he asked. 

Stiles grinned. "You know me, I like to live dangerously. A hug is nothing after all the running with wolves." 

"You're still Little Red Riding, under all that stardust," Derek teased.

Laughing softly, Stiles wrapped his free arm around Derek's body. He felt Derek wrap his own free arm around his body, too, and he snuggled as close as he could. That embrace soothed and calmed him after all the exciting networking and gossiping in Nick's office. 

"Can we just get out of here and go to the den?" Stiles asked. 

"Don't you have to talk to people?" Derek asked. 

"Did it already," Stiles mumbled into Derek's chest. 

Derek released his hand so he could cup the back of Stiles' wig-covered head. "Nick has plans for you," he whispered. 

"But I have plans for you!" Stiles whined. 

"Not until I'm here for good," Derek reminded him. 

Stiles' idea of running away and more-than-snuggling the hell out of Derek faded as he considered the reality of their situation. There was bad blood between Stiles and Scott. Stiles was sure Scott guessed Derek saw Stiles when he went to San Francisco to visit Cora, if he knew Stiles was still in the city, but Derek was still considered a part of the McCall pack and they had to be careful. Stiles knew that relationships between two members of two different packs were often handled carefully, because politics were involved in addition to the relationship. These types of bonds would tie two packs together; often, mateships between packs were how packs formed alliances. Nick had no desire to tie himself to Beacon Hills---because of the telluric currents---or to Scott McCall---because of how his actions destroyed Stiles' life. He also knew Scott could hold a grudge and be petty enough to insult Nick and to forbid Derek from ever traveling to San Francisco again. 

His pack, apart from Derek and Peter, who was too opportunistic to trust and be trusted, was fiercely loyal to their alpha. They were strong and they made Scott stronger. Derek was strong, too, but they couldn't risk a confrontation that could turn violent. They had to move carefully and slowly. 

Derek would need to convince Scott that he was moving to live with Cora. Stiles could not be a part of the equation---and going back to Beacon Hills smelling like he'd rolled around in Stiles' bed for hours probably wouldn't help to keep him out of it. It was hard enough when they were close friends---because Scott could see Derek's actions as choosing an outlier over pack---but Stiles couldn't imagine that admitting to having or blatantly displaying more-than-friendly feelings would help. 

"I'm sorry I made things more difficult," Stiles whispered. 

Derek snorted. "Don't apologise for what you did," he said. "You had to stand up for yourself. He didn't see a problem with his actions---even if he was sad, he still saw his choice as just." 

Stiles nodded. "Yeah, but---" 

"Nope." 

Stiles nodded again but didn't say anything. Deep down, the way he'd reacted when Scott showed up at his house after the funeral had been deeply satisfying. He hadn't realised there could be repercussions for his actions until much later, when Derek came for his first visit, post-disaster, to San Francisco. 

"I just need to be the weakest pack member for a while, without being disrespectful," Derek said. "Liam's already his second. I need Scott to think I'm not worth keeping so he just lets me go when I ask." 

"You're so worth keeping," Stiles whispered. "And I am going to keep the hell out of you when you move here for good." 

"And I'm going to keep the hell out of you right back," Derek said. 

"So this is serious." 

Derek nodded when Stiles looked up at him. "Has been for a long time," he said. 

"Why didn't you---" 

"You were away for school. I wanted you to have all those experiences and grow into who you are meant to be," Derek interrupted. "And then, after… _after._ I didn't know if you could ever…" 

"Dummy." 

Derek smiled a bit. "Maybe. I've waited years for us to be in the same place on this, I can wait and make sure we do it properly---safely." 

"Yeah, okay," Stiles agreed. "Just… don't die before you get here." 

"Same goes for you." 

Nodding, Stiles leaned in and kissed the corner of Derek's mouth. Derek responded by kissing Stiles back, briefly but firmly, and then they separated. For a first kiss, it wasn't awkward or brimming with unbridled passion, but it suited them. They'd been through a lot together; they grew to care for each other, and their bond had developed over time. The kiss felt like a natural expression of acknowledging the subtle shift as their feelings were revealed and exchanged. Passion would come later, Stiles was sure. 

"Let's go back in there," Stiles suggested. "Just, don't let go of me. And ignore the flirting." 

"I promise not to growl if someone flirts with you," Derek said. 

Stiles laughed. "I meant ignore the people who will flirt with you!" 

Derek smiled. "I always ignore that noise when you're in the same room," he admitted. 

Stiles stumbled in his high heels as his heart skipped a beat; Derek steadied him and guided him back into the office.

#####

_"So, as you've seen in the footage of some of my performances, I've been pretty lucky to have some garments made for me. But! I make a lot of my own clothes, too. Nikki spoils me," he continued, eyes darting to Nick who was holding the camera for him so he could back into the second bedroom of his apartment. "And I'm grateful for that. I still make dresses and things, though, with my own hands, and with my own..._

_He moved back enough and gestured to his clothes-making tools. "...sewing machines!"_

_Stiles put his hand on the first one. "I've had this one for a long time. Since I was in high school," he said. He moved to the second machine. "And after I moved to San Francisco, I found this serger in someone's trash. It needed some fixing, but my dorm mate at the time was an engineering student who loved to tinker."_

_"So, yes, I can sew," he continued. He moved to a clothing rack on wheels, where he'd placed his favourite homemade costumes. "In fact, I've made all of these beauties."_

_He pulled one of his first favourite outfits from the rack. He smiled softly, feeling nostalgic at the sight of his red cape and white---and (fake) blood splattered---dress. It had started as a Hallowe'en costume but he'd ended up using it more than once when he was feeling darker and more dangerous. His makeup and wigs evolved, even if the dress stayed the same, and he used the costume to become a victim or hunter, depending on his mood._

_"This is one of my first costumes I ever made," Stiles explained. "I liked to play into the Little Red Riding Hood story, a badass chick, running with wolves---and sometimes hunting the bad ones, if I'm not running from them. Depends on the day and my mood._

_"I like playing with figures from stories," he said as he put Little Red Riding's cape and dress back on the rack. "Sometimes that's not possible, but even in my head, all of my outfits come with characters and backstories. Helps me get on stage and sell the story."_

_He moved from his costumes to the shelves he'd installed to store and display his wigs. "And here are my hairdos," he added. "Some are simple… and some are not."_

_"My jewelry…" he said, gesturing towards two display cases. "Nikki keeps trying to spoil me with gift pieces, but I like making my own. I love the arts and crafts before the performance art. It helps calm my thoughts and bouncing from one project to the other keeps me from getting bored."_

_Stiles moved from his jewelry and headed to his computer desk. "And this is my day job station," he said. "I have two degrees in history---a BA and an MA, focusing on the presentation and transformation of myths and legends and their possible origins---and, to help pay the bills, I work for an online tutoring business. I help students by proofreading their essays and trying to teach them how to improve their writing. Sometimes it sucks, because semicolons seem to mystify people and that makes me crazy, but it's good work and I can do it from almost anywhere, at any time, as long as I have an internet connection."_

_"So… yeah. I'm a smart, nerdy, crafty drag queen," Stiles said, with a little flourish of his hands._

#####

Instead of going home to his apartment, he went with Derek to go back to Nick's house. Nick and Cora were lingering at the club, but Stiles begged off from breakfast and Derek had been more than willing to go with him. They picked up a couple pizzas on their way, and holed up in the guest bedroom with one pie and a few bottles of beer.

Since having his feelings confirmed and returned, Stiles didn't want to let Derek out of his sight. He knew neither of them could get too physical in expressing those feelings---because Stiles wouldn't want to let him go and, Stiles assumed, if Derek's feelings were as intense as his were, Derek wouldn't want to leave without making sure that they both smelled at least halfway to thoroughly claimed. 

It would be better when Derek was officially a member of Nick's pack. Then, they could lock themselves in Stiles' apartment and not leave until they were done---or until they were desperate enough for fresh food and water.

After two pieces of pizza, Stiles decided to ask the question that had been on his mind since Nick first mentioned the idea of Derek joining his pack. 

"Why now?" Stiles asked. 

"You gave me a clear sign you were interested," Derek said. "And… you seem settled. More sure of yourself."

Stiles snorted. "Yeah, yeah, my cookies are baked. But not what I was asking." 

"Oh. Why leave Beacon Hills now?" 

Stiles nodded. 

Derek shrugged. "It's been coming for a long time, but I never knew Nick would accept me into his pack," he said. When Stiles opened his mouth, to protest, Derek raised his hand and bottle of beer. "I know, it seems obvious. But, he could decide that two Hales were too much---we could form an alliance and try to take over, we could be a lure for the more psychotic of the old-guard Argent hunters---or he could find out what I did to my family. I didn't know until a few visits ago, when he pulled me aside and said that I could join his pack whenever I'm ready." 

"Why not tell me until now?" Stiles asked. 

"I was afraid. It's one thing to visit… but to have a daily reminder…" 

Stiles smiled and shook his head. "Derek, I've never thought of you that way. It wasn't your fault." 

"I should've known---"

"You couldn't've known, we've talked about this before," he interrupted. "I know you were reluctant to leave Dad. But, you were following your alpha's orders. It wasn't your fault, okay? I have never blamed you. I won't ever blame you." 

"What if Nick makes a similar call?" Derek asked. 

"Well. I'm pretty badass now, and Cora's been keeping me in fighting shape," he said. "And I always have a few tricks up my sleeve. Plus, as much as I try to get involved, Nick's been very good at keeping me and my identity secret. Most of the them just think I'm someone from Cora's former pack." 

Derek nodded. "Good… good." 

"I trust you, Derek," Stiles added, unnecessarily. 

Stiles smiled when the tips of Derek's ears and the tops of his cheeks turned pink. 

"I… trust you, too," Derek admitted. 

"Good!" Stiles replied, letting his smile stretch into a grin. "Now, tell me more! Nick obviously thinks you're a good fit here…"

"Yeah," Derek said. "He said he wants stable betas here---not just for his power level, but so that he can have people holding down jobs in different industries and in different areas of the city." 

"Smart." 

Derek nodded. "Yes, he is." 

"You were seriously considering it before tonight," Stiles commented. "What's changed in Beacon Hills?" 

"Everyone's fine, if that's what you're worrying about," Derek replied. "It's just… it's getting harder. I mean, it wasn't easy, before, either, but…" 

He trailed off and shook his head. 

Stiles put his hand on Derek's ankle and squeezed. "You don't need to explain it if you can't find the words," he whispered. 

With another little shake of his head, Derek said, "Before, Scott was young but he was learning," Derek said. "But his learning how to sacrifice people for the so-called greater good was a turning point. He's more reckless and more territorial. For now, he's kept the werewolves---and Cory and Malia---safe. Argent isn't that involved anymore, and neither is Melissa. As far as I can tell." 

"What about Lydia?" Stiles asked. 

Derek snorted. "I think she's fine," he replied. "She positioned herself to be one of his advisors. He turns to her before deciding anything of importance." 

"Well, she's a genius," Stiles commented. 

He couldn't stop himself from wondering if Lydia had been responsible for Scott calling Derek away from his father's side. 

"I know the Hales are supposed to protect the area, I know my mother would want me to stay, but---" 

"She couldn't have meant for you to stay with a pack you can't trust," Stiles interrupted. "Derek, above all else, your mother would want you to be happy." 

Derek nodded, although he didn't look happy about agreeing with Stiles. 

In response, Stiles inched closer to him. "Derek. I need you to listen to me," he said. "Like really, really listen." 

His eyebrows lowered, nearing the scowl that Stiles equated with _get to the point, I'm losing patience_. Stiles smiled a little as he leaned in towards Derek. 

"You are allowed to be happy," Stiles said. 

Derek's eyes seemed to shine. It took Stiles a minute to realise that his eyes were filling with tears; when he finally realised it was happening, he launched forward and wrapped his arms around Derek's shoulders. After a moment of hesitation, Derek responded by bringing his arms up to wrap around Stiles' middle. 

"I think I could be happy here," Derek whispered. 

"Yeah?" 

He nodded. "I might also need some therapy," he added. 

Stiles tucked his face into Derek's neck to hide his smile. He wanted Derek to be happy and healthy, and hearing Derek talk about working to achieve that warmed his insides. A lot of time had passed since the major tragedies in Derek's life and Derek had healed a lot of wounds in his heart; he had a relationship with his sister and he was admitting to having feelings as he tried to build relationships with others in his life. Those were huge steps for Derek---and he didn't seem to be done, either. 

"I saw a therapist," Stiles admitted. 

Derek's arms tightened for a brief squeeze. "Yeah?" 

Stiles nodded as he lifted his head to rest on Derek's shoulder. "Yeah, after Dad. I'd already been introduced to Nikki---and Nick had let me know who he is when he realised what I am," he explained. "When I came back, I was… a mess. I came to Nick, asking to be Nikki's drag daughter. I was overreacting. Like I felt all I had left of home was Little Red Riding, and I wanted her gone, too? He made it a condition---to get help. I was still in school and dealing with Dad's estate, such as it was. But Nick had his lawyer help and he got me to see a therapist to talk out all my feelings about Beacon Hills. I know Nick wanted to keep me because I've got a bit of mojo. It wasn't selfless. But… it helped."

Derek's hands rubbed up and down his back. "How did you… talk about… the pack?" 

"Oh! She's pack," Stiles said. "And that made me nervous at first, because what if she told Nick something---or what if she decided to leave or go to another pack?"

Derek nodded, judging from the way his stubbled cheek and chin teased Stiles' neck and shoulder.

"But, she's settled in her life. She's married to a sweet, adorable _human_ man and they have three kids---two wolfies and one human. And she's one of the elders, in the little system Nick set up to help the pack and to advise him in trickier times. Plus, she feels like a good egg. Like, no weird vibes or anything." 

Derek sighed. "Okay. If you say so." 

"She doesn't only see pack, but she's the best for us to go to if we want to be honest," Stiles added. "Think about it anyway, okay?" 

He nodded, so Stiles dropped the subject in favour of spending a few minutes snuggled up to Derek. He would miss that feeling---warmth and safety and the promise of more---when Derek left San Francisco. 

"Can we be done eating?" Derek asked. 

"Yeah," Stiles agreed. 

Derek released him and gathered up their empty bottles in one hand. With his free hand, he took the pizza box when Stiles handed it to him. 

"Stay here," Derek said. "Please." 

Stiles smiled and nodded. There wasn't anywhere else he'd like to be. Nothing could pull him from Derek's bed except an actual emergency or an order from Nick. He knew it wasn't wise---and he knew they wouldn't do anything to stake their claims upon each other---but having his affection and attraction returned was a heady thing to experience. 

Derek didn't spend too much time away from his room. Stiles had managed to wipe his face on a napkin, swish out his mouth with mouthwash, and stretch out against the pillows before he returned. 

He smelled minty fresh, too, which made Stiles' smile morph into a grin when Derek was close enough. 

"I am looking forward to you moving to San Francisco," Stiles whispered. 

"Me, too," Derek replied. 

"I'm still having trouble believing this is real," Stiles admitted. 

Derek smiled. Before saying anything, he got into bed, pulling Stiles close as he pulled the covers up over them. He turned out the light and secured Stiles to him with his arm around Stiles' t-shirt covered waist. 

"This is real," he said. "I… I really want us to be us, whatever that ends up being. Even if it ends up not working, I don't want you not in my life." 

Stiles smiled into Derek's shoulder. "I think this has been a long time coming. It feels natural, like this is where we are headed, no matter what," Stiles said. "Bet past-you would never have believed that tonight would happen." 

After a little huff that might have been laughter, Derek said, "I thought you smelled good from the moment we met. I didn't know what to make of that… I was in survival mode, and you… I couldn't trust you or Scott---" 

"We gave you plenty of reasons not to trust us," Stiles admitted. 

"Yeah, but you gave me plenty of reasons to trust you, too," Derek added. "You saved my life. And stood by me, even when your loyalty---" 

"Derek, you've been hurt. A lot. I understand why you have issues with trust," Stiles interrupted. "But we're past that---you know that, right? I mean, you're in my life. You're the person I want to share news with. Your calls and visits brighten my day. You get me---and you don't make me feel weird. No matter what's happening… you're my person. Even if we're just friends." 

"Same," Derek agreed. 

"Y'know why Stellah has an 'h' in her name?" Stiles asked. 

Derek nuzzled his head. "I thought it was to make the name sound and look breathier," he replied. 

"Nope. For 'Hale.' I might tell other people it's for the breathy sounds, but the truth is…" 

Derek's hand tightened on his waist. "Really?" he asked. 

After lifting his head, Stiles nodded---and looked into Derek's glowing blue eyes. "Really. Once we talked, I got a grip, did the therapy thing… and I realised what of my past I needed to cherish and honour… and part of that's you. But, I'd like you to be in my future, too." 

"I… yeah. Yes. Please." 

Stiles snuggled back up to Derek, tucking his head under Derek's chin. "Good," he murmured. 

"Are… will… I mean, I know you told me that you're more ace than not---" 

"I want you," Stiles admitted. "When you move here for good, you better block off a long weekend, because I want it clear to everyone in the pack that you and I are a packaged deal. If… I mean---" 

"A week," Derek interrupted. "We are locking ourselves in at my new place or yours and we are… yeah. At least a week. You can do the essay thing, but no going to the club or a party or---"

"Sounds perfect," Stiles agreed. He was very glad they were on the same page. "How do you feel about in-the-future baths?" 

"I will need company," he stipulated. 

Stiles grinned.

#####

_"I wish I could tell you I'm all about one particular style of drag, but… really, there's so much I love about drag, and I'm always open to trying new things," Stiles said as he looked into the camera he'd perched on a tripod. "I love the way drag theatre has exploded. Campy, horror, hilarity… I've been really lucky to be a part of a few great productions in the last few years."_

_Stiles was dressed in his (Stiles', not Stellah's) clothes as he stood in front of the camera._

_"I love how drag can turn me into…"_

_As he trailed off, he started spinning on the spot where he was standing. And, with the magic of video editing, when he stopped spinning, he was wearing his Little Red Riding costume. He'd added blood to his red, silver, and black makeup and alpha red contact lenses; he'd added long claw-like nails and pointy ears that showed through his asymmetrically-cut and -styled wig in dark brown and black human hair._

_"...this!" Stiles said, posing in his high-heeled boots. "Or…"_

_He started spinning again. When he stopped, with the help of more video editing magic, he was wearing one of Stellah's fishiest looks._

_"...this! Ta da!" Stiles exclaimed with a somewhat graceful flourish of his hands._

_He loved the wigs he wore when he was_ only _Stellah. Nikki gravitated towards hair toned in blacks and blues, and Stellah had adopted that style, too, although Stiles made sure that the blues were brighter and often tinged with greens or purples so that they were different. When he was angry---or playing a role more based in horror or pain, he chose reds for his hair. When the character was too fantastical or over the top, he often opted for normal tones of hair. He didn't have any strict rules about hair; it was just how his tastes tended to drift._

_"This is what I think Stellah Stardust looks like when I'm being a dutiful drag daughter," he said, smoothing his hands down over his short, tight, and sparkling dress. The fabric was navy, and sheer in some places, and it was covered in sequins and sparkling gems. "It matches Nikki's style, in some ways," he said. He stepped forward and revealed the slit on the right side---and the garter belt and hosiery he'd donned before stepping back in front of the camera. "But it's got a bit of my own style, too."_

_"When Stellah's on her own time…" Stiles said before starting to spin again._

_"…I look more like this," he said, as he slowed his spin and reappeared---with more editing magic---in a pair of short-short-short cut-off jeans, a pair of strappy sandals, and a leather jacket._

_His makeup was almost the same as it had been when he'd been wearing his favourite of Stellah's dresses, but he'd softened his eyeliner and added lip gloss and glitter. He'd also switched his eyelashes to a pair that were more blue than black. He'd padded and painted his chest so that there was an illusion of breasts under the jacket that was cinched in the middle with a wide belt and metal medallion. It was a more casual look, but it was also flirtier in a way, and he liked choosing outfits like the one he was wearing for fun lip syncing or dancing nights._

_He did one more series of spins and, with more help from his video skills, he went from his more casual outfit into something a pageant queen would wear. His gown was black until it reached his thighs, and then it slowly turned hot pink. The cut showed off his body padding efforts; he looked like he had voluptuous hips and breasts which distracted from his shoulders._

_His hair was huge. The wig of rich brown curls had been teased and sprayed and decorated with a black fascinator with pink gems and feathers used as accents. Instead of the blue-based makeup he'd worn earlier, his makeup choices were far more traditional, in tones of black and silver, with light pink and pearl accents, on top of his contouring cosmetics._

_"I'm still figuring myself out. There are styles I prefer, and styles I'm not wiiiild about," Stiles said. "But I think that's always a part of drag. We can always adjust, we can always express new feelings."_

_Stiles smoothed his hands along Stellah's hips and added, "And that's a big part of why I want to enter the Drag Race reboot. I want to push myself into new challenges and I want to learn new ways to express myself."_

#####

Stiles hated that he had to leave before Derek, but he understood that Derek needed to clean Stiles' scent from his skin and clothes before returning to Beacon Hills. They made the situation as bearable as they could, though; they lingered over breakfast (lunch) with Cora and Nick, before heading outside to Stiles' jeep and lingering out in the yard.

"You'll be careful?" Stiles asked. 

Derek nodded. He smiled and shrugged. "I was going to ask you the same thing," he admitted. 

Stiles grabbed and squeezed Derek's hand. "I promise I'll be careful," he said. "No running into danger. Unless you count my night job." 

"I do, a little, but I know you can handle that," Derek said. He squeezed Stiles' hand. "Just… look both ways before crossing the street and drive responsibly and… don't---never mind."

Stiles saw the way Derek's cheeks flushed pink and was struck with curiosity. "Nuh uh, Mister Hale. Tell me," Stiles insisted. 

"When you get on that show and you're sequestered…"

"If," Stiles said. 

Derek rolled his eyes. "If it's going to happen, they'd be stupid not to pick you, so _when,"_ he said. 

"Hypothetically when, then." 

Derek snorted and shook his head. "Stiles…" 

"Just tell me!" 

"Could you try not to fall for someone while you're away?" Derek asked, his voice somewhere between a whisper and mumble. "Just… I mean, I get it, if it happens, I promise I won't be an asshole about it, but---" 

It was Stiles' turn to roll his eyes. He and Derek both knew how they felt about each other---and Derek knew how Stiles rarely felt physical attraction---but Derek was still insecure. Stiles understood it. He knew werewolves liked to stake their claim, and he knew he was itching to stake his claim, too; he knew how people looked at Derek, with hearts in their eyes and fire in their loins, and he needed proof that Derek was his. 

He couldn't claim Derek, but he could give Derek his words and let Derek hear his heartbeat. 

"Derek Hale. You have been in my heart since… well, I don't remember when it happened. First, yeah, it was as a friend," he said, as he put Derek's hand over his heart. "And then it just… transformed. I don't want anyone else, Derek. We have been through good times and bad times and we _know_ each other---and last night was as natural as breathing. I am looking forward to everything we have ahead of us, together." 

Stiles watched Derek's eyes widen as he spoke. When he finished talking, they held each other's gaze for a few minutes in silence. 

"I'm really glad I came down this weekend," Derek whispered. 

"That's what you've got for me?" Stiles asked, playful teasing in his voice. "I pour my heart out, and you give me---" 

While Stiles was more likely to talk until he lost his voice, Derek was a man of action. He surged forward before Stiles could finish his sentence; he took Stiles' mouth in a deep kiss as his hands came up to hold either side of Stiles' face. He pulled back and smiled when Stiles let out a whine. 

"Damn you… you poet," Stiles breathed. 

"I want to be yours as much as I want you to be mine," Derek whispered. "I'm looking forward to building a life with you."

"And Stellah?" 

Derek smirked. "She's a part of you, dumbass." 

"You don't mind then."

"Stiles, I haven't minded… ever. At first, I wanted to support you---as pack and as a friend," Derek explained. "Now… Stiles, you've grown as an artist and it's… amazing to watch. You're beautiful, in and out of drag." 

Stiles felt his face heat up and knew his face was probably bright red. "Flatterer," he mumbled. 

"How about this?" Derek suggested. "I am really looking forward to pinning you down in bed and flipping your skirt up and---"

"Derek!" Stiles whined. 

"But… I'm also looking forward to you taking me when you're all dolled up," Derek continued. He leaned forward and punctuated his confession with a kiss to Stiles' jaw. "So, you think about that any time you worry about how I feel to have snagged the hottest drag queen in San Francisco." 

Shivers ripples through Stiles' body as Derek's words settled (and reverberated) through Stiles' mind. He'd been so focused on the life and closeness they could have---he'd barely contemplated the physical and carnal aspects of their relationship. 

Thankfully, Derek had been thinking about it. 

"I… am very glad you support equal opportunity," Stiles whispered. 

"Stiles and Stellah are the same person to me, and I'm looking forward to getting closer to that person in all possible ways," Derek murmured. He tugged Stiles closer, so they were pressed together. "All right with you?" 

"Beyond all right," Stiles confirmed. 

Derek kissed him, briefly but soundly, and pulled back enough so he could look into his eyes. 

"Any other concerns?" 

Stiles shook his head. "Nope, that about covers it," he replied. "You go work your magic and make it look like your heart's here, with your sister and no one else, and I'm gonna go do this ridiculous audition video thing to try to distract me from wishing you here sooner." 

Derek smiled and nodded. "All right. I'll text you when I get there---and I'll call you when I can." 

"You better, buster. Or else." 

"Or else?" 

"Glitter bomb, when and where you least expect it," Stiles promised. 

Derek's responding laugh warmed his insides. Derek didn't laugh much, so Stiles cherished the times when he did. 

"Well, now I'm definitely going to call," Derek said. 

"Good." 

Stiles leaned up and kissed Derek again. It was such a simple gesture, but the fact that he had the freedom to do it blew his mind. When they separated, Stiles knew he was staring at Derek with a dopey expression on his face---but he didn't care, because Derek was staring at him with a similar expression on his face. 

"I am really looking forward to you living here," Stiles whispered. 

Derek brushed his free hand through Stiles' hair. The gentle touch sent a little shiver scurrying along his nerves; Stiles pressed up into the contact. 

"Soon," Derek murmured. 

Stiles nodded. After stealing another kiss, he slowly pulled away from Derek and opened the driver's side door of his precious jeep. 

"How is this thing still running?" Derek asked. 

His question startled a laugh out of Stiles. He hopped into the seat and gestured towards the hood. 

"My roommate was an engineering student and he liked to tinker---and I liked to take advantage of that useful ability," he explained. "And then Nick thought it was a death trap… but I refused to replace it, so he offered to chip in on some restoration work." 

Derek nodded. "Good. It was your mom's, right?" 

"Yeah," Stiles replied. 

"And… it passed inspection?"

Stiles snorted. "Yeah. Last one was done… eight months ago, maybe?" 

He nodded again. "Good." 

"Worrywart," Stiles murmured. 

Derek leaned into the open door and kissed Stiles again. "Yeah, I am," he admitted. "I… I better go back inside before Cora comes out and drags me inside." 

"Okay," Stiles agreed. He jammed his key into the ignition, but he didn't turn the engine yet. "One more kiss before I go?" 

With a smile, Derek obliged him. They lingered, letting their noses brush as they shared air. Stiles wanted so much more---so many small moments, between so many big moments---but he could wait until Derek was there, in San Francisco, for good. 

"Love you," Stiles whispered. 

"I know." 

They shared a grin. 

Derek kissed him one more time, whispered a quick _I love you, too_ , and backed away from him and the car. With Derek still moving towards the house, Stiles had no choice but to close his car door and start the engine.

He kept his eyes on Derek as long as he could; but, when he couldn't even see Derek in his rear view mirror, he had to try to ignore the way his heart thudded in his chest so he could focus on getting home in one piece. 

His heart didn't feel even a little bit better until hours later, when he read Derek's text: _Safe and sound. Pack in the loft, but I'll try to call when they all leave._

#####

_In his favourite Stiles clothes---well-worn, comfortable jeans, a Berkeley t-shirt, and a red hoodie (because he liked the colour, and maybe because Little Red Riding was still with him)---he sat down in front of the stationary camera he'd put in his work room. He looked into the lens and rubbed his hands on his thighs._

_"So, now, we're at the important part of my video," he said. "Or another important part. But it's time for the serious questions now. Why do I want to be a contestant on Drag Race? Do I think I could be America's Next Drag Superstar?"_

_Stiles looked away from the camera for a moment, recalling the answers he'd written before filming. When he turned back, he smiled._

_"Some of it is what I talked about before---the challenge, pushing myself to rise to the tasks you set, learning from other queens who have different perspectives and styles. I would love to be in that environment, combining pressure and art and gumption to see what I can do," he said. "And I'd be completely disingenuous if I didn't admit that I want an opportunity to grow and develop my career. I mean, really, anyone who doesn't say that should get a big raspberry blown in their direction._

_"But. I want to see someone like me in the contestants, too. When I started in drag, the original series was one of my inspirations. But. Between the show and the ladies at Jungle… I had no one to tell me I could be pan and demi_ and _a drag queen---or drag princess, since I was a little newbie baby at the time."_

_Stiles paused and sighed. He looked down at his hands, remembering how difficult his participation in drag communities had been at the beginning._

_"I had to figure out what this need to transform meant to my sexuality---and it turns out, not much---and every time I made a bit of progress, it was such a struggle. Nikki helped a lot, and now, it barely matters," he said. "But, I want to see someone on TV who reflects me, who can say 'you don't need to be a part of one specific demographic to be a drag star.' And I'd love to do the job. It doesn't need to be explicit or an issue. Just… there. Included. Somehow. I might not be the best candidate for that, now, since I'm seriously involved with a man, but I hope you keep that in mind when picking your cast._

_"And I really hope there are other pan or ace spec drag queens who submit videos. With the evolution of this art form, I firmly believe there are unique perspectives out there who can help elevate it even more," he finished, consciously bringing his hands back down because he'd started waving them around as he talked._

_"Do I think I can win and be the superstar you're looking for? Yes! Absolutely!" Stiles exclaimed. He laughed a little. "I wouldn't make an audition video and send it in if I didn't think I could win!"_

_Stiles shrugged. "Do I think I can win? Realistically? Yes. I don't think I'm the best drag queen out there, but I think I'm good at what I do, and I stand a serious chance. I want to test my mettle against other strong queens. I want to win."_

_After a brief pause and a shift of his weight, he smiled before he resumed speaking. "No matter who you pick to be the contestants, I am so looking forward to the reboot," he said. "I don't know if you have plans to do multiple seasons, or if this is just a one-time television event, but I am excited that fierce drag queens are going to be showing off their skills to the world again."_

_Stiles grinned and waved. "Anyway! My name is Stiles Stilinski---or Stellah Stardust---and I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks for watching me ramble!"_

_As the video slowly started to fade to black, Stiles got up as if to turn off the camera and end the recording._


End file.
